Related Sections: Computer Peripherals
USB thumb drives hit 256GB mark
I remember my first USB thumb drive. It was a 256MB Samsung number, about the size of an old, Pez-dispenser-shaped iPod Shuffle (with the same annoying habit of blocking the USB port right beside the one you plugged it into). That was about six years ago, and in that time solid-state memory has made a lot of progress. As in, three-orders-of-magnitude progress.
Flash-memory purveyor Kingston now sells a thumb drive with a capacity 256 gigabytes: the DataTraveler 300. Yep, 256GB, all in single plastic wafer less than 3 inches long. According to the product page, that's the equivalent of 10 Blu-ray Discs, 54 DVDs or 365 CDs. It truly is a new era.
UPDATE: Kingston plans to make DT300 available only in Europe and Asia, priced at £567, or $938. Message to anyone thinking of buying one: Don't. We sometimes overuse the word "insane" here at DVICE, but as a descriptor for that price it's perfectly appropriate.
By Bill Drew at 11:37 AM ON 07/20/09
Cost? Please include prices when showing stuff.
By Jack Bain at 11:43 AM ON 07/20/09
Wheres the idea of having a thumb drive connected to global broadband and going to servers with almost infinite data storage. I don't want 256GB, i want infinite GB.
By dragonhung at 11:48 AM ON 07/20/09
Kingston has some confusing websites! I looked for the price, but could only find a price on a 128GB which was US$547. Maybe this unit is very new. I assume the price will be around the US$1000 mark. A tad pricey, but will eventually come down.
By iamthemovie at 1:10 PM ON 07/20/09
I like how dragonhung used the word mark when talking about the price, just because of the article title. Funny.
By jfossy at 1:32 PM ON 07/20/09
On a UK site, they list the price @ £565.67 w/o VAT.
By Scanner at 2:41 PM ON 07/20/09
I like how iamthemovie *assumes* dragonhung used the word mark just because of the article title. Funny.
By J -Bone at 5:04 PM ON 07/20/09
Does it come in PINK or LIME Green
You have been J - Boned..!
By Daniduc at 7:54 AM ON 07/21/09
In a few years we'd be laughing: remember when a USB driver with puny 256Gb cost like a thousand euros?
- Hah! I have photos with more than that!
By Aaron at 2:24 AM ON 08/09/09
I wonder how this would run on a netbook. I use my HP mini for OS X and WIndows XP. As soon as Chrome OS Netbook comes out I will use it. Having an additional 256GB would be great for my needs. Wont buy for $1000, but might when prices drop 50% or so...
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Aaron:
I wonder how this would run on a netbook. I use my HP mini for OS X and WIndows XP. As soon as Chrome OS Netbook ...More »